The Arizona Cardinals are at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis and azcentral sports' Kent Somers is with them. What's the latest on the Cardinals search for a quarterback? Kent's got some thoughts.
Kent Somers/ azcentral sports

The Arizona Cardinals' defense has been on of the team's strengths so what will new defensive coordinator Al Holcomb look to change in his first season under head coach Steve Wilks?
Sean Logan/ azcentral sports

While Kurt Warner’s inspiring Hall of Fame induction speech is still fresh in your minds from Saturday night, it’s a good time to introduce you to a young football player who is hoping to make a similar improbable journey from nobody from nowhere to NFL greatness.

Like Warner, Cardinals rookie wide receiver Krishawn Hogan comes from humble beginnings and a small college. Actually, a couple of them – Marian University, an NAIA college in Indianapolis, and Walsh University, which, interestingly, is located in Canton, Ohio, site of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Like Warner, who used to stock shelves during the graveyard shift at an Iowa grocery store, Hogan also worked late nights at a couple of jobs he’d rather forget. In addition to fixing things at Monkey Joe’s inflatable play center, he was a janitor at the Indianapolis Convention Center, which sits directly next to Lucas Oil Stadium, home to the NFL combine and the Colts.

Those were some lonely and gut-wrenching evenings for Hogan, whose lifelong dream had been to get noticed by scouts, preferably at the combine, get drafted, and play in the NFL. That rarely happens, though, to a kid who never once got on the field during his first three years of high school football. The chances get even slimmer when you drop out of college your freshman year.

He was pushing mops and brooms and it often felt like his dreams were being swept away with every sweep.

“Oh yeah, for sure. Back in those days, it wasn’t always easy to see the vision, the end goal of being in that actual building and feeling so close but so far away from it all,” Hogan said. “But that was still always the goal. I tried to use it as motivation. I would talk on the phone with my dad while I was there working and that helped me a lot.”

Though it felt like his dream was dying, Hogan refused to quit, saying, “Football’s just what I’ve always done, so giving up wasn’t an option.” Besides, if he was going to quit, he would have done it back at Warren Central High, where he couldn’t even make the dress list.

“You hate to say it, but his features do look like Larry’s. He’s a big, strong guy and he can catch.”

Bruce Arians

After washing out at Walsh, Hogan lucked into an offer to play football at Marian for a program that was all of six years old. But what he did in three short seasons there was remarkable. Hogan set school career records for catches (263), touchdowns (52) and receiving yards (4,395). It earned him that long-awaited invitation to the scouting combine.

“Once coaches started showing more confidence in me and gave me the opportunity, I was able to show what I could do,” Hogan said. “And once I was able to take coaching and use it to get better as a player, that’s when I really made a huge jump.

“I knew that if I could keep getting better, just find a way to improve and learn, that I would have an opportunity to be where I am now.”

Krishawn Hogan during practice on Saturday in Glendale.(Photo: David Kadlubowski/azcentral sports)

Hogan didn’t get drafted, but the Cardinals signed him as a free-agent rookie on April 30 and he’s been with the team ever since, hoping to keep his dream alive. He’s had his share of good moments in training camp, too.

“He’s improving every day,” Arians said of Hogan, who is 6 feet, 3 inches tall and a chiseled 222 pounds. “It’s a big step from where he came from, especially the amount of volume of learning. He’s starting to play a little faster and show his skills. But he’s got a chance.”

A chance. That’s all Krishawn Hogan has ever wanted. And now, after taking an unpredictable route to get here, he’s getting daily tips from future Hall of Fame receiver Larry Fitzgerald, to whom he bears a slight resemblance.

“Well, he’s big,” Arians said. “You hate to say it, but his features do look like Larry’s. He’s a big, strong guy and he can catch. … He dominated where he played (in the NAIA) and he’s catching up to playing with guys that are (NFL) fast.”

Hogan knows he’s a long shot to make the Cardinals’ 53-man roster. “I just try to make big plays every day so I can stick around for a little while,” he said. If he makes enough plays in the preseason, including Saturday night’s game against the visiting Oakland Raiders, there could be a chance he gets signed to the team’s practice squad.

Normally, that’s a consolation prize to a young pro. But it would mean the world to Hogan.

“Oh yeah. Like I said, if I can just stick around I’ll be happy,” he said. “To be able to stick around as a practice-squad guy and learn for a year, that would be huge for me. I want to be on the roster, but I’ll take that year and learn if that’s what it comes to and I’ll be extremely grateful.”

Everyone in camp is pulling for him. So, too, probably will Warner, who will be at University of Phoenix Stadium on Tuesday when he and colleagues from the NFL Network visit the Cardinals for their daily Inside Training Camp Live coverage.

“We have so many good guys in here and they never hesitate to share their knowledge with me, which is great,” Hogan said. “That’s why I know that if I can stick around here for any length of time, I’m going to grow as a player because of what they’re giving to me.”

Reach McManaman at bob.mcmanaman@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @azbobbymac and listen to him live every Wednesday night between 7-9 on Fox Sports 910-AM on The Freaks with Kenny and Crash.

Arizona Cardinals tight end Ricky Seals-Jones goes up to catch a pass as linebacker Philip Wheeler tries to defend at practice at University of Phoenix Stadium, Wednesday, August 23, 2017.
Tom Tingle/azcentral sports

Cardinals Jaron Brown (13) makes a catch and turn to run past Sojourn Shelton (23) during Training Camp at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on August 21, 2017.
Patrick Breen/azcentral sports

Cardinals' Trevor Knight plays with a ball on the sidelines as he waits to run plays during Cardinals Training Camp at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on August 17, 2017.
Patrick Breen/azcentral sports

Cardinals running back David Johnson (31) jokes around with teammates during Cardinals Training Camp at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on August 17, 2017.
Patrick Breen/azcentral sports

Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald tosses the ball to a trainer after making a catch during Cardinals Training Camp at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on August 17, 2017.
Patrick Breen/azcentral sports

Cardinals coach Tom Moore jokes with Larry Fitzgerald about his throw during Cardinals Training Camp at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on August 17, 2017.
Patrick Breen/azcentral sports

Cardinals' Troy Niklas (87) runs as teammate Tramon Williams (37) comes up for a tackle during Cardinals Training Camp at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on August 17, 2017.
Patrick Breen/azcentral sports

Cardinals' Chris Johnson (23) runs after getting a handoff from Drew Stanton during Cardinals Training Camp at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on August 17, 2017.
Patrick Breen/azcentral sports

Cardinals Patrick Peterson (21) misses coming up with a catch while wearing a go-pro on his helmet during practice at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on August 10, 2017.
Patrick Breen/azcentral sports

Retired Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner works on the sidelines for NFL Network during training camp at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. August 8, 2017.
Michael Chow/azcentral sports

Arizona Cardinals players including quarterback Blaine Gabbert (7) who will see action against the Cowboys, head to their outdoor practice Tuesday, Aug.1, 2017 in Glendale, Ariz.
David Kadlubowski/azcentral sports